Fikret Moualla, also known as Fikret Saygi, entered the world in Istanbul in 1903. He was exposed early on to the intricacies of drawing and French culture, due in part to attending a French-speaking high school. Expanding his horizons, he traversed Europe, journeying through Switzerland, Germany, and France to expand his knowledge and skills. However, a succession of psychiatric crises and hospitalizations, coupled with his father’s reluctance to continue supporting him, caused him to return to Turkey. There, he was deemed mentally sound and appointed as an art teacher in a high school in Ayvalı, a position he soon relinquished to devote himself fully to his craft. After a prolonged stay in the hospital, Moualla opted to leave Turkey for France in 1939.
In Paris, the fragility of his mental state was further exacerbated by alcoholism. Thanks to the patronage of Dina Vierny, Fikret Moualla held his first exhibition in Paris in 1954 and forged relationships with prominent French artists. He became a regular exhibitor in Parisian galleries, not limited to Dina Vierny’s, but also including those of France Bertin, Marcel Bernheim, Bruno Bassano, and Katia Granoff. Despite his turbulent reputation and periodic bouts of hospitalization, Fernande Anglès, a collector, supported him financially. Subsequently, the artist shifted his focus towards a more primitive style of painting.
Youki Desnos, an artistic figure from Montparnasse, expressed his admiration for Fikret Moualla’s paintings, describing them as vast “patches” of pure, continuous color. These bold surfaces, with their vibrant hues, are never brash or vulgar. In fact, the colors used by Moualla to recreate space and light are astonishingly accurate in their tone, imbued with tremors and depth. They serve as a backdrop for Moualla’s drawings, which are fast, confident, and incisive in their portrayal of characters and their gestures.
In a style that is both authoritative and tender, Moualla’s drawings convey exactly what they need to, with a perfect economy of means. There is no room for complacency or dryness in Moualla’s art; instead, it creates a feeling of openness and spaciousness, naturally complementing the strength of his drawings. In this interplay of subtlety and boldness, Moualla’s colors come to life, perfectly complementing and enhancing the overall composition.
Unfortunately, in 1962, Fikret Moualla became paralyzed, and he spent his last days in a clinic in Reillanne where he passed away in May of 1967.
www.ftn-books.com has the RUEB catalog for his exhibition now available.
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